I just completed a shoot with Darren Holmes, and most of the photos (none are in my port yet) were taken of me lying down. If you check his port (MM #232342), you'll notice that most of his subjects are lying down.......Of course, his photos are very different from your "typical" photog. I love his work, and I think he is amazing.

.......But otherwise, no, these types of photos don't often turn out well.

Well, you have a really excellent portfolio. The only reclining pic I saw was Natalia on a sofa and it was mostly upper body. The only suggestion I might have would be, especially when models are reclining prone or on their side is to be particularly careful that they tighten their abdominal muscles. In either of these poses you really have gravity working against aesthetics.

I think the lighting will depend upon the mood you want to create, so there really isn't a one size fits all answer. Most of my nude work is outdoors, so I have to adjust the pose and pick the time of day for the location where I'm shooting to get the lighting I want.

Shooting models who are lying down is a challenge for me because they always end up looking fat. Just the pressure of the ground or whatever against them, like their thighs go from slim to looking like this puddle of meat loosely molded around a broomstick somewhere in the middle of the puddle. I don't need that kind of aggravation and after I show them the photo on the camera back they usually stand back up and everyone's happy again.

Allen Camp wrote: Shooting models who are lying down is a challenge for me because they always end up looking fat. Just the pressure of the ground or whatever against them, like their thighs go from slim to looking like this puddle of meat loosely molded around a broomstick somewhere in the middle of the puddle. I don't need that kind of aggravation and after I show them the photo on the camera back they usually stand back up and everyone's happy again.

I do know one tip, given to me by an experienced model. If she's going to be photographed while lying on her back, she preferred to be hanging off the edge of whatever she was lying upon, with the "overhang" part being on the side of the camera. That way her butt doesn't appear to be crushed.

Allen Camp wrote: Shooting models who are lying down is a challenge for me because they always end up looking fat. Just the pressure of the ground or whatever against them, like their thighs go from slim to looking like this puddle of meat loosely molded around a broomstick somewhere in the middle of the puddle. I don't need that kind of aggravation and after I show them the photo on the camera back they usually stand back up and everyone's happy again.

Have the model tense every muscle that's touching whatever it is on which she's laying with the tightest part of her down so she doesn't smush. Some side or upwards light also helps by creating the curve under her body so it doesn't look like she's square on the bottom against the thing she's laying on.

First, "laying down" has lots of options (on stomach, on back) so that needs to be clearer about what the issue is for you.

Second, not all models will look good in the same pose. Put a woman with a 36 inch chest laying flat on her back and her breasts go sideways. Just did a shoot with another model--lovely woman--but she was short and when I posed her on her back with an arm up behind her head, it made her bicep look enormous. So adapt poses to the body type.

Those caveats acknowledged, here are a couple of tips I'd offer:
--don't lay down flat, find a way to put the model at an angle. Maybe one shoulder is raised or one hip is twisted.
--create interesting lines and angles
--be willing to have uneven light on the model
--play with the angle you shoot at. Get LOW (as in...at her level). Or get HIGH (not with weed, but on a ladder so you're shooting down on her).
--reflectors are your friend. It's very easy to get small shadows underneath the model that fool the eye and add an inch on each side of the waist or arm.

Here is an example (+18) from my portfolio of the lovely Sera Ferron. You'll notice how she's in shadow, laying at an angle, interesting lines on her torso.

Allen Camp wrote: Shooting models who are lying down is a challenge for me because they always end up looking fat. Just the pressure of the ground or whatever against them, like their thighs go from slim to looking like this puddle of meat loosely molded around a broomstick somewhere in the middle of the puddle. I don't need that kind of aggravation and after I show them the photo on the camera back they usually stand back up and everyone's happy again.

Middle one was actually and outtake, but ended up being everyone's favorite shot. It's an image I want to shove in the faces of anyone who says the classic, "Modeling is the easiest job in the world. You just stand there and look pretty" quote...

Bottom one was with the wig after I lost all of my hair. It was my first shoot coming back to work.

In the end, I say it doesn't matter which direction the model's BODY is pointing. Laying down, sitting, standing, jumping, wha ev. It's where the model's SPIRIT is pointing that's important. I aim straight into the lens and don't hold back. You can't screw up that angle.